The Phoenix
by Ultimate-Bear
Summary: When Ice Bear gets into an accident, all hell breaks loose for his two big brothers. But will they overcome the struggles they must face just to save his life this time? Meanwhile, Ice Bear recalls a memory that finally explains why he's always been so stoic and protective. In the midst of recovery, he finally sees a face he's been wishing to see after all these years... [HIATUS]
1. I- One Tear

**It's actually been some time since I've actually written a fanfic (maybe a year ago or two, I guess?). So this might be a rough start for me. Also, I've also recently stepped in the WBB fandom...so if there's anyone OOC, please tell me, okay?**

 **Now for some warnings/notes:**

 **-as much as this story _may_ have fluff, this ain't fluff fanfiction, buddy.  
-if someone has been abandoned in the past or something like that, I don't want you to get hurt. You have the option to go back to the previous page. If you proceed, remember that you're taking the risk here as well.  
-this story has been rated T for a reason. Now for those who are 12 years old or younger, don't be like my 9-yeard old self. Go scan other fanfics.  
-this _may be_ AU-ish, since I know that the real Grizz and Panda wouldn't ignore Ice Bear (then again, there was the episode "Nom Nom").  
-English ain't my first language so please pardon me.  
-I don't own We Bare Bears.  
-the title was inspired by one of Poland's Marukaite Chikyuu (if you're an APH fan, you'd understand).  
**

 **And that's all I have to say! Enjoy the story, alright?**

 **-Ultimate-Bear-sama**

* * *

 _Sometimes  
I have been asking myself  
Why Ice Bear never smiled  
Never laughed nor gave a chuckle  
_

 _He's always silent  
Distant  
Emotionless  
Empty  
Like there's something that made his heart nothing but a void of sadness_

 _Not even my brother knew why  
But one day  
We got something that we didn't expect would get:  
An answer_

 _And that's when we realized_  
 _That sometimes_  
 _Finding out the truth_  
 _Can affect the strength of person who's been trying to stay strong for so long_

 _So are you ready  
To hear the tragic tale of our little brother?_

* * *

It all happened too fast. Grizz felt so stupid. Sure, it was probably not his fault that the truck suddenly ran over his little brother (who _was_ on the pedestrian lane when the pedestrian sign said "go". So it's definitely not his fault, right?). Yet, he repeated over and over in his head that he was the cause of this. That he was the reason why the bear was in Intensive Care Unit. That he was the reason why his brother was in a coma. That he's to blame for Panda's tears. Why didn't he protect his brothers like he should have? It was his job as the big brother after all. Why didn't he just push Ice Bear away when he had the chance to?

If it wasn't for that new toy he saw while doing window shopping with his brothers one stormy night, Ice Bear wouldn't be here right now. Oh how Grizz wished to be the one in a coma. He never wanted this to happen to them, especially to his baby brother. If he could just turn back time...if he had the power to...he could have pulled Ice Bear out the moment the truck went to his direction. Then, maybe they would still be at home, watching that new movie he bought a few hours together. Maybe they would be laughing at the scenes together like the brothers they are. Maybe...just maybe, they would still be together, safe and sound.

Grizz covered his face to hide the tears. Was he really an idiot?

To add salt to the pain, both Grizz and Panda lately ignored their brother for just simple things like hanging out with their new friends or shopping. It simply became their routine. They ate breakfast, took a shower, left Ice Bear to do the chores alone in the house, come back with dinner on their tables, eat, and then sleep, not even greeting "hello" or "goodnight" to the bear. When was the last time they had even exchanged words of comfort or held a conversation?

Grizz held onto the stress ball that he bought the other day, as if it is that only object can save him from near death. He might have squished it too tight, for when he dropped it, the ball was already deflated, lying there like a piece of paper. Nothing can calm him anymore. The only thing that mattered to him was for Ice Bear to stay alive and wake up.

And maybe...the old days would come back, just like he wished the moment he saw his brother lying on a pool of his own blood.

Grizz looked at the sleeping bear's face. His head has been wrapped in bandages (Grizz couldn't even tell if that's really his skin or bandages) while his arm was placed in a cast. His left leg has been supported by a bed rail found at the end of the bed. His right arm was attached to an IV and the rest of his body was either wrapped in bandages or hooked up to machines. Machines that made Grizz's blood pressure rise even more. Those machines are the only ones that could actually tell of how his brother's feeling. And while that may be reassuring, the thought of something happening to the machines or his brother pressured him.

 _He_ should have been in Ice Bear's position. It would be better if that were to happen right? I mean, he _is_ the cause of Ice Bear's welfare after all.

 _That's right_ , he thought. _Maybe it would've been better if I were gone. It's my fault, after all. I want to strangle myself. Make myself feel like I'm really the one to blame. Feel the pain Ice Bear's feeling right now. Let myself suffer-_

"Grizz?"

Said bear snapped back into reality once he heard his name. Grizz turned to see his other little brother, Panda, at the door. Along with him was two paper bags and a lollipop on his mouth. As much as Panda tried to smile, Grizz could see that not even the carefree one couldn't keep one. He could read his body language. And he can conclude that Panda is also feeling the same things he's feeling right now: sadness, regret, vengeance, guilt.

Maybe Grizz is not the only one in pain.

"Oh. H-hey, bro,"he uttered. Grizz didn't feel like using his normal, loud voice. No. Not at this situation. He didn't even have the strength to smile.

It wasn't like before, wherein the atmosphere was warm and everyone was happy (yes, even Ice Bear. They can see it). Grizz felt like there was a distance between he and Panda whenever they try to talk or say a word to each other. And both knew very well why it is such.

Panda looked at his little brother with a sad smile. "He's not awake, huh?" Grizz bit his lip and nodded. When did he feel _this_ nervous before? What was he nervous and afraid of anyways? There were only two plausible answers: Ice Bear not waking up or even worse-

Grizz gulped. That certain thought made chills run down through his spine. _No, don't think of that. He will live,_ he looked at the slow breathing of Ice Bear and sighed a bit. _He has to._

After minutes (or rather hours for Grizz), Panda held out the paper bag to his big brother. "I bought you dinner,"he said. Grizz took it, uttered a "thank you" and got his foam food container.

Inside were a variety of Grizz's favorite foods: bacon, pizza, egg, and sandwich. To top it all off, there were even some fries in the corner. Normally, this would make Grizz feel better, even for a bit. But the atmosphere the food held didn't feel the same. Ice Bear's food was made with love. Grizz knew that everything the polar bear did was for love (even if it's not shown on his face). But when it's something like this, he felt like something was missing. He felt as if it was nothing more than just food Panda ordered at a fast food chain near by.

He can't eat it.

Grizz closed the container and put it back at the paper bag. This, of course, caught Panda's attention.

"Grizz, you need to eat something."

The bear turned to Panda and gave a sad smile. "It's alright, bro. I ain't hungry yet-"

"Grizz, you haven't eaten in five hours. At least finish the sandwich-"

"Panda, for the last time, I'm _not_ hungry." Grizz was getting impatient. Didn't he tell Panda that he refused to eat?

Panda stood up and frowned. "This is about Ice Bear, isn't it?"

Just mentioning his name already made Grizz break down into tears. He fell off the chair, and for the first time, cried without covering himself. "Yes it is Panda. It's the truth! I'm the one to blame for Ice Bear's situation! If I wasn't an idiot, _I_ could have saved him! Then maybe _I_ would feel like I have done my job perfectly! I...I just want to turn back time...just to save him,"Grizz stood and ran to kick and punch the door. "Isn't it hard to ask for it?!"

Panda gritted his teeth. He had enough of this. He didn't any more damage. The bear proceeded to grab his brother and slap him right across the face. "C-Can you just calm down and think for a bit-"

"I did think and that's final! I rather let myself die than let my own brother suffer this! Why can't you understand that-"

"I understand you perfectly, Grizz! I, too, also want to save his life as well! I, too, want to turn back time to take the bullet! But this is reality. Open you eyes, brother! What's done is done!"

Grizz feltvspeechless. Nor did he even move to push Panda out of the way. _What do you mean...I couldn't turn back time? I-I can't?_ He closed his eyes. _So this is the harsh reality, huh? Ice Bear in a coma and wounds all around him..._ He chuckled. _This reality is so stupid._ When that thought finally passed through his brain, he finally had the strength to push Panda down to the floor. Grizz huffed. _What does he know, anyway?_

"This is reality, huh? Then I don't want this reality. I want to go to another reality. And I'll wait for you and Ice Bear to come with me,"he said while going to the window that was next to the IV. Grizz opened it and gave a little smile. "See ya, bro-"

But as soon as Grizz was about to step out of the window, Panda held his paw tightly. Grizz turned around and saw something he didn't expect to see:

Panda was crying. Hard.

"Grizz, please stop. I'm losing a brother right now. And I'm not losing another one," he mumbled. As much as Grizz wanted to step down, a part of him wanted to do it. And so, he tried to proceed. But Panda's grip was tighter than expected. So he gave up.

Panda looked straight at him in the eye the moment Grizz turned to see him again. "Besides, Ice Bear wouldn't want this, right?" That thought, that single sentence made Grizz completely frozen. He couldn't retort, not after remembering everything Ice Bear had done for them...especially that time when Nom Nom nearly killed him and Panda.

Grizz really owed Ice Bear big time.

"All his life, Ice Bear did nothing but to protect us, right? He went to every length, every centimeter and everything he couldn't dare to do just for our safety. He only wanted what's best for us. If you jump out of that window right now, don't you think that all his work will go to waste?"

Grizz widened his eyes. _That's right,_ he thought as he finally let himself go down from the window. What Panda didn't expect, though, was Grizz hugging him. Panda gave a sad smile and returned the hug.

It was only a matter of moments before both of them shared their own tears with each other.

 **/...\**

Days passed, yet Ice Bear still hasn't woken up. Grizz and Panda once argued on who will watch the bear for the day. But in the end, they decided to leave their house for a while just to watch over him. They brought their sleeping bags (how Ice Bear managed to get the expensive ones was a mystery) and slept next to Ice Bear's bed every night. Chloe also came to check on Ice Bear, but it was only for a short while. Even so, both brothers appreciated the fact that Chloe would escape her classes to see how her friend's doing. The best part was that Chloe's parents didn't mind paying for Ice Bear's medicines and hospital fee. The thought made the tension lessen for both brothers.

All that's left to worry about was whether Ice Bear would wake up or not.

And yet, even in the ordinary days, things that would be unexpected would happen.

It was on a sunny day when it happened.

While Panda was updating his status, Grizz just sat on a chair, staring at the ceiling. His laptop was charging, so he had nothing to do but to just watch that ceiling and hope that any moment now, Ice Bear would wake up.

Come to think about it, he felt like they haven't been showing their appreciation to Ice Bear that much. Never did the bear even complain about doing the work alone nor did he get mad whenever the two brothers would leave. He was just...silent.

And yet, he's the reason why their fevers would come down. He's the reason why they still live in a clean house and have fresh food to eat. He's the reason why they got such appliances and gadgets. And he's probably the reason why money would come in (until now, he still doesn't know where all the money came from).

They had to thank him somehow.

"Hey, Grizz,"As he heard his name, Grizz's head turned to face Panda. "Hmm?"

"Do you think we should thank Ice Bear for all the things he's done?"

Looks like Grizz wasn't alone in this plan. He stood up from the chair and sat across his brother.

"Where do we begin?"

Panda looked at the bear, who was lying peacefully on the hospital bed. "Well, for starters, we shouldn't make the party very extravagant. Last time we tried to throw a birthday party for him worth a thousand dollars, Ice Bear freaked out."

Grizz laughed at the memory. The look on Ice Bear's face when he lectured them for wasting a lot of money on DJs, a party room so big, a stage, equipment, and lots of food was priceless. "I suppose that's true. Then, maybe we could just buy a cake for him, right?" Panda nodded. "But since we won't know when he'll ever wake up, I guess we can do it the day he'll come home."

"Yeah, that's true. We can try to make food for him in return for what he's cooked for us."

That thought made Panda pause. "You do realize we can't cook, right?"

Grizz rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, bro. We'll learn somehow, right?"

"...Last time we tried to cook for him, the kitchen exploded. And even _we_ were following the recipe."

"That was three years ago, right?"

"Yeah. On the morning of his birthday."

"Man, why do our faults happen on Ice Bear's birthday?"

Panda shrugged. "Even I will never know."

"Hmm,"Grizz replied. "Then I guess we'll order food."

"Two years ago on his birthday, he said that the food we ordered tasted like shit."

"...Dammit,"Grizz said as he face-palmed. "Then maybe just the cake is enough, right?"

"I suppose so. And we can invite Chloe in."

"Yeah. Let's just hope that the release date falls on a weekend."

Panda nodded. Just then, a knock was heard. Grizz stood up and opened the door.

It was the cops.

"O-Oh. Hey, officers. What do you need?"Grizz asked. One of the officers pushed the truck driver in. He was handcuffed and his shirt was held tight by the officer who pushed him. "This driver wanted to apologize for the distress he had caused,"the officer said. Grizz kept his calm. _Be cool_. He crossed his arms. "So you're the one who ran over our brother, huh?"

The moment the words were out, Panda stood to join his brother. As much as he wanted to scream at him, the appearance told him not to. The driver looked as if he had not slept for weeks. He probably was been driving day and night just to probably earn for his family (his looks said that he wasin his forties). So just like Grizz, he calmed himself.

The driver lowered his head. "I'm so sorry it happened. You see, on that day, my boss gave me a few more hundred bucks. I was driving home rapidly to tell my wife the good news. I guess...my excitement caused all this."

Grizz looked at the man's face. _He really is sincere._

"If I could just abandon my family just to live a new life, I would. I would let myself be run over, even for a hundred times, just to let myself feel the pain. I feel so terrible that I-"

Remembering what Panda once said, Grizz held the driver's shoulders and looked at him straight into the eye."Ice Bear wouldn't want that. He'd rather take the bullet for even the biggest asshole in this world than watch the ones he love suffer." The driver closed his eyes. "Really?" Panda smiled. "Yeah. Ice Bear protected us no matter what we were in. He's that kind of guy who shows his appreciation by doing those things,"Panda turned to see the bear on the bed. "It's rare for you to meet people who are this kind and generous nowadays. You only meet those people once in your life,. Sure, you'll think, 'This guy is trusting enough.'. But the truth is, that person will end up betraying you later on. But I know for a fact that Ice Bear is not like them. When he does it, he means it."

"H-how do you know that?"

"Well...I'm his brother. Siblings, even if they're adopted, share the same soul when they see each other at first sight. That's how I knew to came the real Ice Bear."

The driver smiled. "If he ever wakes up, tell him I said sorry. I never knew he was such a good big brother."

Grizz chuckled. "Actually, sir. He's our baby brother."

The driver returned the chuckle. "I see. Then when he wakes up, try to protect him as much as you two could. I don't want my brother to have the same fate he had."

Panda looked at him. "Same fate?"

The driver, remembering something that happened years ago, shook his head. "It's nothing. Anyway, I have to go now. I'll see you."

And as he left, all Panda could whisper was, "We'll keep that promise."

 **/...\**

It was dark. That's the first thing that registered into Ice Bear's head. Where was he anyway? Where are his brothers? What happened, he thought.

 _Wait. If Ice Bear remembers clearly, he saw some fish nearby. Then the next thing Ice Bear saw was-_

Everything came back at once. The pain of being run over ran over him. The sounds of his brothers' wails echoed into his mind. And the last thing he saw were the tear-soaked faces of his siblings.

Ice Bear looked down. _So that's what happened, huh?_

He decided to walk. Search for an escape, if he can. He really wants to see his brothers right now.

Yet after hours of walking, Ice Bear felt tired. It seemed like there was no escape in this darkness. All Ice Bear had to do know was to wait.

But first, he slept.

When he woke up, though, his surroundings changed.

Around him were a blanket of snow. Pine trees and wolves scattered around the area. And behind the scenery were mountains. Bears came to him, greeting the bear a "good morning".

That place...felt familiar.

Ice Bear widened his eyes. _If Ice Bear's here...then..._

"Big brother!"

And that's where his real nightmare began.

* * *

 **Thought it'd be cute to make Ice Bear the big bro for his fanmade backstory. This one will actually explain why he's so protective of his own big brothers (even if they're supposed to be protecting him).**

 **Let me know what you think, okay? I'd appreciate some feedback!**

 **See ya'll!**

 **-Ultimate-Bear-sama**

 **EDITED DUE TO GRAMMAR ERRORS (1/8/2016)**


	2. II- Two Weeks

**Yoooo! Ultimate-Bear-sama here. Time to make TGI (Thank God It's Friday!) even better with another update. I've really worked on this chapter since yesterday in school and I hope I did good on it.**

 **Once again, I don't own We Bare Bears.**

 **Now please enjoy!**

 **-Ultimate-Bear-sama**

* * *

Two weeks. That's how long their little brother was in the hospital. In those two weeks, there were tears, regrets, guilt, worries, and fights that should have never started. Conflicts arose and the two brothers did nothing but feel pressured. The worst struggle they faced was wondering if Ice Bear will finally wake up from that dreadful slumber. In those two weeks, the bear had no response whatsoever. Eyes weren't opened and movements were never made except for the slow rising of his chest and the beating of his heart. For the two brothers, each day was filled with more worries regarding the chances of their little brother living. It's like what the doctor had said, "The longer Ice Bear's in a coma, the chances of him being alive will decrease each day. There's a possibility that he'll die." That alone made Grizz and Panda really stressed.

And in those two weeks, another problem arose for the two of them.

"Wait, what?!"

Panda wouldn't believe it. Why did this have to happen? Just when the financial problem was solved did it go back like a race car.

He could hear Chloe sniffle. "I-I'm so sorry, Panda. But even I didn't expect this to happen. In a week, I'll be dropped off at the local orphanage. I wanted to live with you three. But the agency doesn't allow bears to adopt children. I don't even have any more blood relatives."

 _That's what we're planning to do_ , Panda thought. "We understand. And it's okay. If we can, we'll try to visit you alright? Are you still going to your university?"

"Y-Yeah. They said I can finish the school year. After that, I'm out unless somebody adopts me and is willing to pay for the fees. It's too bad, especially since the Dean wants me to be in the last year of my course by next school year."

"I see. Well, see you,"Panda replied. That was the last thing he said before he hung up.

"Well, what happened?"Grizz's voice came out of nowhere in Panda's world. The younger of the two bit his lip. How was he going to tell Grizz all this?

"U-um...y-you see, Grizz. T-there's something that happened to Chloe,"stuttered Panda. He didn't have to explain further though, for Grizz's expression told Panda that he figured out what had already happened.

"She can't pay anymore, right?"

Panda nodded. Grizz groaned and sat down on the chair next to the bed. Looking at Ice Bear's calm and serene face, he sighed. "So, what are we going to do now?"

The middle brother looked down. "I don't even know anymore. For one, we're not the ones who are financially smart. It's Ice Bear who knows these kinds of things. Actually,"Like Grizz, he looked at Ice Bear's peaceful face. "He's been in charge of the whole household."Now the guilt came back inside his heart. Did they really do nothing for the house? What have they done? During the last five years ever since they moved into that cave, luxury entered Grizz's and Panda's worlds. Work wasn't made for them, they thought. Life for them was carefree. Life for them was making friends and sharing smiles. They rarely did anything but what they love to do.

And yet, Ice Bear never dared to complain about that kind of matter. Never once did he get mad at them for not helping out at all. Not did he show any signs of disappointment or anger in front of them. If they didn't want to do the work, he'd do it in a heartbeat. If his brothers were in trouble, he would be there to save them (and not once did he care about his own injuries). He did everything just for his brothers, yet never asked for anything in return.

To say that they owed Ice Bear big time was an understatement. They owed Ice Bear more than the whole universe.

That thought made Panda even guiltier. All of a sudden, he went back into reality upon hearing Grizz's angry voice.

Wait...angry?

"This is all your fault, you know!"

Now Panda was furious. Just yesterday, Grizz was blaming himself for the accident. And now he's angry at his own brother? _What the hell is wrong with him?!_ Panda thought.

"M-my fault?! How the fuck is it _my_ fault?!"

"If you didn't save Ice Bear from that damn truck, then we wouldn't be stuck with this debt, which is by the way, a hundred thousand dollars!"

"Excuse me?! _You're_ the one who got distracted by that toy!"

Grizz crossed his arms. "Well you're the one who was closer to the road!"

"Yeah, until you called me to check that stupid, damn toy!"

"Whatever, it's your fault!"

"No, Grizz. This is all your fault! You _had_ to take your eyes off my baby brother!"

" _Your_ baby bro?! He's _my_ baby bro, you dumbass!"

"If he's your baby bro, then you shouldn't have been distracted by that dumb toy!"

"And if he's your baby bro, then you should have done the same thing and not get distracted by that stupid game of yours!"

"It's a dating sim and it's not stupid!"

"You're an asshole!"

"I hate you so get out!"

"I can't just leave my baby bro alone!"

"Excuse me, but he's my baby brother!"

"No, he's mine!"

"Mine!"

"Mine!"

"Can you two at least shut up?!"

The fight then stopped upon seeing a certain someone at the door.

It was Lucy. And she brought a bouquet just for Ice Bear. Lucy wasn't like the Lucy they knew, though. The Lucy at that moment was very furious. Furious at what? Furious because Ice Bear's _own two brothers_ are fighting on who to put the blame on.

Panda blushed a bit and released his grip on Grizz. "H-hey, Lucy. What brings you here?"

Lucy sighed. "I _was_ going to this room just to give these flowers to Ice Bear, until I heard your argument!" She immediately put the flowers on the table next to Ice Bear's bed, faced Grizz and Panda, and crossed her arms, still wearing that furious look. "What the fucking hell is wrong with you two?! None of _this_ is your fault! The only thing you're ruining right now is your relationship with your own sibling! Ice Bear hates seeing you two fight and you know that! I'll bet that if he wakes up and sees the damage you've done, he's really going to be heartbroken! Do you want that?!"

Grizz huffed. "Well, whatever. Ice Bear needs to wake up and realize that not everything he wishes for will come true."He then walked out of the room and slammed the door hard. Panda winced, then looked at Lucy's still angry face.

"L-Lucy...I..."

Lucy looked down at Ice Bear. "I'm sorry, Panda. But I can't fix all of this,"she said while going to the door. She opened the door, looked at Panda one last time, and continued, "You're going to have to repair what you two broke." And that's what the last thing she said before she exited and closed the door.

Somehow, Panda felt regret. What was the point of even arguing with his own brother if it would lead to this? But then, he shook his head. _No, it's his fault. He'll have to learn his lesson the hard way._ His focus was then back to Ice Bear's face. _What would he say about this?_

"Heh. Forgive me, little bro. It's really Grizz's fault, y'know. That asshole just starts every single damn fight, no? I thinks it's best to leave him alone,"Panda said, gripping the paw of his little brother. Looking into his closed eyes made a tear escape from his own eye.

"Ice Bear, we need you. P-please wake up..."

 **/...\**

In those two weeks, things changed. Panda started to get use to Grizz not being there anymore. No visitors came, but Panda didn't mind. The only thing that mattered to him was Ice Bear's health. He made sure to check constantly how he was doing just by looking at the monitors and tell Ice Bear any random story he'd think of. Not once did Panda take his eyes off of Ice Bear for a few minutes, though. Panda felt like a bodyguard to the bear. He always made sure that nothing happened to his little brother. Nothing happened, thankfully. But it still didn't change the fact that the long Ice Bear was in a coma, the chances of him living would decrease.

Panda was scared. He already lost so many in his life. He didn't want to lose Ice Bear.

Even so, that didn't mean that Grizz came into his mind. Panda tried to erase the grizzly bear out of his mind. However, the more he did, the more he came out from the corner of his mind.

It was then that Panda decided to vent it all out on Ice Bear.

"Like, I don't get it! Why is it that the only thing I can think of at this moment is Grizz? I don't understand! It's not my fault it happened! If he just shut his fucking mouth for a bit, none of that would've ever happened. Right?"

As expected, their was no response. Panda sighed and held his brother's paw once again.

"I don't get it, baby brother. Did I even do something wrong? I don't see it. So why must this also be my fault?"

All of a sudden, the words said all came back to him.

 _"Excuse me?! You're the one who got distracted by that toy!"_

 _"No, Grizz. This is all your fault! You had to take your eyes off my baby brother!"_

 _"I hate you so get out!"_

A tear escaped from Panda's eye.

"No...this is not right. I...was also wrong. Instead of calming him...I...I got mad...told him I hated him...oh no what have I done?!" His face then fell on Ice Bear's paw. Tears wet the bed sheets as the words started to spin his head. What _has_ he done?

"Ice Bear...we were both wrong. I...I'm sorry. I know you hate us fighting...but...we did fight. And that just made things worse. What if Grizz doesn't forgive me? What if Grizz doesn't want me to be his brother again? What if...what if..."

He stopped to get his head off the paw. Panda wiped his tears off and looked at Ice Bear's calm face.

That was the face he's been wearing for two weeks. But at that moment, he was sick of seeing his eyes closed. He wanted him to wake up. To hold them together like he used to before. To greet them "good morning" with food made out of gold. To laugh and smile with them (even if they weren't shown in his face) once again. To...to...

Panda bit his lip. "Ice Bear...please...wake up..."

He heard a groan.

Panda's eyes widened as he looked at the bear in front of him.

"Ice...Bear...?"

"...A-Ashley..."

He saw Ice Bear examining the whole room. Panda was confused. Who was Ashley? And why did he look as if he was kidnapped then placed in a strange place?

"...Ashley...no...you...were..."

"...Ice Bear..."

Ice Bear's head turned to see his big brother.

"...no..."

"Ice Bear...it's me...how are you feeling?"

By the time he said that, that's when it happened.

 **/...\**

Grizz held Ice Bear's axe tight. He was leaning on the fridge (AKA Ice Bear's room) and looking at the ceiling of their own cave. The cave became dirty ever since his little brother went into a coma. And he, himself, didn't have the heart to clean it for he was too depressed to even do anything but hold that axe tight.

Even so, he felt something growing in his heart.

It was guilt.

Where did that guilt come from though? It was basically from two things: Ice Bear's being and the fight between he and Panda.

He could understand the former, but not the latter.

 _It's not my fault, anyway_ , Grizz thought. _Why can't he just understand?_

"I don't get it, little bro."

Grizz believed that whenever someone uses something often, a part of their soul would go into that object. The more souls would go into that object, the more it absorbs it's aura, thus creating some kind of knowing on who owns it, even if they know it's a stranger. It was a belief that Grizz believed in ever since he was a kid. And up to that moment, he still held onto that.

The bear hugged the axe tighter. Among all things, that where most parts of Ice Bear's soul went into. And Grizz just knew it.

"I mean, it's not my fault, right? That Panda was just getting in my way. Of course you're my little bro. And...I'm supposed to protect you...but,"He lost his words and groaned. "I lost my words. But you know that, right? It's not my fault...isn't it?"

 _There's no use talking to this axe._ Yet, he had to continue. To him, it was the one thing that connected Ice Bear's soul to the real world. And it was the only medium available to use.

But then, there was silence. Grizz didn't know what to say. From the start, he believed that he was in the right. But up to that point, he couldn't help but point out that he may have some faults in there too.

Once again he changed his thoughts. _No. It's really his fault. I just need to give him time._

He sighed. "I wish you're awake now, bro. Everything's not the same without you. Chloe's whole family died for God-knows-what, and we're breaking here. Panda and I are so worried. You don't know how much we are." Grizz then looked at the axe he held. Even after those two weeks, the appearance of the axe didn't change at all. The ends were still as sharp as a shark's tooth, and the colors didn't fade at all. It was as if nothing happened. It was as if Ice Bear wasn't run over by that truck. It was...it was...

Grizz then stopped as he found a new thought in his head.

 _Maybe...it's really my fault. I did start this fight. Why did I decide to be a chicken and run off?_ The bear bit his lip. Then, he covered his face.

"What the hell is wrong with me, Ice? _I_ should be the one apologizing here. If I didn't let my anger out, then I'd still be holding your paw with Panda,"said Grizz. Realizing what he said, he didn't fight off the urge to stand up and drop the axe.

"I'm gonna apologize, Ice. And you'll see. Two weeks ago, I started this fight. And today will be the day I'll end it."

Grizz opened the door and walked to the hospital while gathering all his courage.

Never had he felt _this_ determined before in his life.

 **/...\**

Upon entering the lobby though, he saw Panda on a chair. His eyes were wide and his paws covered his own ears. Tears started to roll down his cheek as he uttered words Grizz couldn't even translate. Suddenly, that determination dropped low. And Grizz knew why.

Something was wrong with Ice Bear.

"Panda? Panda!"

Grizz immediately ran to the distressed bear. He immediately hugged his brother and rubbed his back.

"What happened, little bro? Tell me!"

It was quick, but Grizz finally understood what he was saying.

"It's Ice Bear! He woke up but something's wrong with him!"

"What is it?! Spit it out, man!"

"Ice Bear...doesn't recognize us as his family. He just...started thrashing around...screaming for his sister or something...and he told me to get out..."

And everything that broke a family happened in the span of two weeks.

* * *

 **Boom! I'm done! Hallelujah! *laughs then collapses on the bed***

 **If you guys wanna know where this story will lead the three bears though, here are some songs that will more or less explain what their side stories will be. It can, at least, give you an idea on what this story will actually be.**

 **1\. Ice Bear- _World_ by _Five for_ _Fighting_** **(Later on in the story, he's going to make the toughest decision in his life. That will be further revealed when that character apprears).  
2\. Panda- _Somewhere_ by _Within Temptation_ (In the coming chapters, Panda will be faced** **with a multitude of lies he's heard ever since he was a child. How he'll find out the truth will also be revealed in the later chapters.)  
3\. Grizzly- _Donut Hole_** **by _GUMI (Hachi)_ (We already know that the trauma probably blocked a certain flashback from Grizz's mind, which is why he couldn't explain how he got attached to the burrito. This story will explore more of what might've actually happened).**

 **For Chloe, I'm going to make a separate fanfic for that matter. But SPOILER ALERT: the story will more or less be based probably on _Ayano's Theory of Happiness_ by _IA (Jin)_.**

 **So if you see, I just based of the story with a bunch of songs I've heard. Some other parts, though, are based on real life experiences either I or my friends have faced. I don't even want to go there.**

 **Alright. I think I've said enough. See you guys on the next update!**

 **-Ultimate-Bear-sama**

 **EDITED (1/10/2016) BECAUSE I FORGOT ONE MORE PART.**


	3. III- Three Times

**This is probably gonna be one of the longest chapters I've ever done. I've worked on this for two days, and reached thirty-three pages (yes, my writing turned small. But then again, I used a small notebook so I don't know).**

 **WARNING: Insanity, murder...Deranged!IceBear and too much emotions. Also, grammar errors (how do u stay in past tense-)**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own We Bare Bears.**

 **Now sit back and enjoy!**

 **-Ultimate-Bear-sama**

 **P.S. I'm also done with Chapter 4, btw ^^**

* * *

Three times. Ice Bear had only seen that kind of dream three times. And in those three times, he would feel his heart being beaten repeatedly by that pang of guilt, then crushed by those heavy tears he wouldn't dare to show, especially in front of his own brothers. It hurt, yes. But he still kept that poker face. He had to hide it. He didn't want to be looked down or pitied by the people around him. He fully believed that in the treacherous world in which they call "home", the only person he could rely on is himself. He believed that there will come a time when everyone, including his own siblings, will turn against him. If he would rely on them too much, then the pain would be much worse than what he'd feel in that type of dream. So he masked those emotions, for he really believed that that's the only strength there was in that so called "home".

But when it came to those dreams, that's where he would break mentally. But his brothers never knew about it. Ice Bear made sure to keep the tears to himself whenever those dreams occurred. He only experienced them twice, yet he would remember that feeling from the moment he would open his eyes just to get ready for the day. And even in those moments whenever he would close his eyes to rest, the pain would continue to eat him up slowly until its venom would spread all over his body. And the process would repeat whenever the venom would clear up. Indeed, Ice Bear was sick of it. But that was life, he thought. Life for him was carrying all the pain without help. Those who would fall because of that pain were weak in his eyes. That itself pushed him to become stronger.

But seeing his little sister standing in front of him once again, he wondered if he can keep his act up. Just seeing or remembering his little sister hurt more than a bullet, a drug, and a sword combined going through his heart.

That's why upon hearing that certain voice calling him, he froze. His heartbeat pounded and his blood flow stopped.

 _N-not this again,_ Ice Bear thought. And he thought that the dreams about his sister would stop. That's when he realized that as long as the memory was still there, the dreams will never stop. It was at the third time when the truth finally came in. And it made him feel very pressured. As much as he wanted ot forget, he can't just throw away the memories he share with his precious sibling. After all, they were the only things that mattered to him in this tragic world. To him, his sister was the light that can save him from a world full of darkness. That kept him alive and well. And that's what's going to make him live no matter what.

"д-да, Ashley?"

Ashley ran up to her big brother. She was shorter than him, yet more adorable. Unlike the other polar bears, she was a bit chubbier. Another unique thing she has when it came to appearance was the pink bow that was tied near her right ear. With that charming look, the boys couldn't help but to court her. But because of her big brother, they had to be careful.

As soon as Ashley was in front of him, she hugged Ice Bear. Said bear gave a small smile and hugged her back, Even if it was just a dream, he was glad to have his sister hug him once again.

"Ne, Anton. An explorer's here and he has a television. Want to watch with me?"

 _Of course,_ Ice Bear thought. _Back then, Ice Bear used to be Anton. The only reason why Anton turned to Ice bear was because..._

"Большой брат?"

The sound of her voice brought him back to Earth. "да?"

"Are we going or not?"

Immediately, he answered, "да. We're going. But we have to make sure that no one catches us."

 _Oh right. Back then, Ice Bear would use the first person's point of view. The only reason why his speech pattern changed was because...,_ Oh how he hated remembering that day. If he could just go back in time and stop that from happening, then...

Ice Bear shook his head mentally. _No. If Ice Bear makes that thought dominate the others, then he will break down in front of Ashley. Ice Bear...doesn't want that._ So he tried his best to block that thought as he followed Ashley. _  
_

He looked around at his surroundings, as if he was a person who was working abroad and then came back to his native country (which is, in a way, legit in his situation).

 _Nothing has really changed. It was as if this land was never explored before,_ Ice Bear noticed. The only thing that was weird, though, was the other bears staring and whispering at him.

"Please wake up..."

"We need you..."

"...my fault..."

"...remember..."

"We love you..."

"...used to play..."

"...used to have fun..."

"...used to smile..."

"...what happened?"

And those were a few of the many thing he heard.

What _were_ they trying to say?

That was what Ice Bear had been pondering on for the next thirty minutes. Out of all things, that was the weirdest scenario Ice Bear had been in ever. _Creeps,_ was definitely his initial thought. But as the murmurs went on and on, he felt as if there was an underlying message in them. He just couldn't put his finger on it.

Another thought then came into him.

 _Wait,_ he thought. _How did Ice Bear even get here?_ He closed his eyes and thought about it clearly.

 _Let's see...if Ice Bear remembers clearly, he saw a fish store. Seeing that it was okay to cross, he did. Then...then..._

Ice Bear's eyes snapped open upon realizing that he tripped on a rock.

"дерьмо. That's painful,"he uttered. A paw held his. Ice Bear accepted the offer and was helped up. He closed his eyes, then opened them to see his sister, worried.

"Большой брат, are you okay?"

Ice Bear rubbed his forehead, before he replied. "Ice Be-I mean, I-I'm alright. I...was just thinking of something..."

Crap. He shouldn't have said that. If there's one thing he wouldn't forget about his sister, it's that she couldn't shut her mouth whenever she got curious. How was he going to live with that?

"What are you thinking about?"Ashley asked before they continued their journey. Ice Bear gulped. _Think, Ice Bear. What can he say so Ashley wouldn't be suspicious?_

"Umm...well...I was thinking about...well..."

Ashley tilted her head. "Hmm?"

Ice Bear widened his eyes and looked down. "I...I was thinking about how much Siberia hasn't changed over the past years, you know."

Ashley chuckled. "Well, it's true. There are a few explorers her and there. But yeah, Nothing has really changed. It's weird, though. The world is changing, yet this hasn't changed much. I guess the saying, 'Some things never change.' is true, no?" Ice Bear returned the chuckled. "да." But deep inside, he was sad. Sad at the fact, that Siberia and the world were similar to his view on society and himself. Over the last fifteen years, so much things have changed in his life. While he had seen the good things, along with them were the bad things.. Every single second, change will happen. And change, to him is inevitable. But despite, the only things that will never change are the memories that lay deep within his heart. To him, they're the ones that will last forever. And they'll never be erased. That's why Ice Bear held onto those memories. Those memories that were about the ordinary, yet meaningful days with his family (despite the harsh, Siberian weather) served as his will to live. He lived because he knew that if he enjoyed life like they wanted him to do, then patience would give him the reward and someday, he would meet them again. Ice Bear was not one to believe in a certain religion. But a part of him knew that whatever God/s existed, he oped that He/they would grant his wish when that day comes. Until then, he had to develop that patience and hope while holding to those precious memories that lay in his heart.

Suddenly, another thought came.

His will to live changed. Something, or rather some people, changed that reason and made his life really worth living. Ice Bear once that thought that his life will be nothing more than moving from one zoo to another and entertaining the visitors, young and old, alike. Those people opened the doors to a whole, new world and introduced him to a life so different than the life he thought about. He may have not gotten the privileges a human has, but as long as they were there, what else could he have asked for? They alone were the only ones, aside from his previous family, that truly made life worth living for.

The question was, what were their names?

Ice Bear knew them very well. How couldn't he? They've been with him throughout his childhood and they'll be with him until the day they die. But for some reason, he forgot their names.

They were at the tip of his tongue. He knew them. He had to.

Blurry images appeared in his brain. Ice Bear was too familiar with him. As seconds passed by, more images popped out in his head. Ice Bear didn't know what to do. He wanted to scream. Loud. Scream until he remembered everything. But a part of him told him not to, for Ashley might get worried about his welfare. For hell's sake, _he's_ the older sibling, not her. He's supposed to protect her. He's supposed to-

 _Stop. Don't let that thought overwhelm Ice Bear. Relax._

 _Inhale._

 _Exhale._

 _Inhale._

 _Exhale._

And so, he just focused on where Ashley was going. He tried blocking the images in his head. But for some reason, he couldn't.

Minutes later, both bears stopped at the site. The explorers' shelter contained computers, a tent, and a container full of food. Normally, bears like them would sneak in and find seafood in the containers. But for Ice Bear (or Anton, in this case) and Ashley, the only thing they were after was a television. After all, it was the only thing that can entertain them in the vast, lonely Siberian plains.

Ashley looked around. "Looks like there's no one here. Let's go in,"she whispered. Both of them made their way in carefully and sat down on the ground.

"I fixed the cable last time. It's your turn now,"Ashley said. Ice Bear stood up, went to the antennas, and held them. The younger of the two turned on the TV.

 _Bjhjhjhjhjhjhjhjhjhjhjh..._

Ashley didn't see anything but the grey, white, and black pixels trying to mix together. Ice Bear noticed it through sound and moved one antenna to the left.

She saw a little of the picture. "We're halfway there,"Ice Bear moved both antennas to the left. The view was finally clear.

"Okay. That's enough, Anton,"replied Ashley. Ice Bear nodded and sat down beside her. Ashley grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels.

"Boring."

Next channel.

"Boring."

Next channel.

"So boring."

Next channel.

"Bori-"

"Wait,"Ice Bear said. Something in that channel felt weird and strange to him. And he wanted to find out that strange feeling.

"News? Alright,"Ashley said, putting the remote down. "But it's weird, though. You never seemed to like the news." Ice Bear ignored her and just continued watching.

He has a feeling that he wouldn't like it. But he had to know.

"On today's news, two bears were found dead in an alley at San Francisco, California. The cause of death, according to investigator and witnesses, was probably murder. Both bears were stabbed directly where the heart was and were left to die. Police says that the stab wasn't treacherous enough to kill them. But there may have been a possibility that both bears decided to push the knife in, causing their deaths. Police are still on the look out for who could be their murderer."

Ice Bear widened his eyes, not just because of what the newscaster has said, but because of the images that were shown on the screen He saw one grizzly bear whose eyes and mouth were wide open and his blood covered his brown chest, staining his fur. And the other was a panda whose appearance was like the grizzly bear, expect his eyes were closed. Despite that, they shared the same fate: death.

More images ran through his head. His heart beat rapidly at the sight of those two too familiar faces, lying on the cold, hard ground under the rain. He saw their once, bright eyes now turned into the eyes of the helpless. He could imagine them asking for help, asking for a soul to take their spirits to a safe place where ignorant humans wouldn't torture them. He could imagine their last thoughts and dying breaths; the way they gasped for life. He could imagine the hope that died away when they pushed the knife into their bodies.

Ice Bear was not one to cry when a stranger dies. But those faces felt all too familiar to him.

Tears came from his eyes.

"No...it can't be..."

"Б-Большой брат?"

More tears fell down as he heard the words that were said.

The images were finally clear to him. In all the pictures he saw, the familiar faces he came to cherish and love.

One had a wide smile and eyes that reminded him of warmth, happiness, and safety.

"Grizz..."Ice Bear uttered. Ashley was worried. "Б-Большой брат, are you okay?"

Another image came. The other bear had a small, yt adorable smile and eyes that told him that no matter what will come their way, they will always be family.

"P-Panda..."

All of a sudden, a memory came to his head.

 **/...\**

 _"I wonder what's in this box..."  
_

 _Little Ice Bear covered his head with his paws. He was scared. Scared what might happen to him. He didn't want those animal smuggles to come back. He just wanted to live a peaceful life. Wasn't that too hard to ask for?_

 _"Grizz, I'm scared. You open it," another voice said. He was more terrified at the sudden realization that there were two people. He hugged his body and braced himself for the worst._

 _The box was lifted._

 _The two voices gasped at the sight._

 _"Grizz, look! It's another bear!"the second voice exclaimed. Ice Bear froze._ Wait, another bear? _He removed his paws form his face and looked at the two figures in front of him._

 _Ice Bear was shocked. Right in front of him were two other bears. One was brown and the other was black and white. They may not be polar bears. But they're still bears, right?_

 _The brown one looked, went to him, and smiled. "It's okay, little guy. We won't hurt you,"he said. He gently rubbed his head and asked, "What's your name?"_

 _"I-Ice Bear..."he whispered. Anton held too much painful memories. So he had to start fresh._

 _"Ice Bear? That's an awesome name! My name is Grizzly Bear, but you can call me Grizz. The other one is Panda. He's my little bro,"the brown bear said._

 _"L-little bro?"_

 _"Yep. And you're gonna be our little brother from now on!"_

 _Panda immediately went to Grizz. "Grizz, are you sure about this?" Grizz nodded. "Sure am, Pan-man!"_

 _"It's Panda, not Pan-man!"_

 _"What's wrong with that nickname?"_

 _"It feels weird hearing it!"_

 _Ice Bear giggled and laughed. Both bears stopped and looked at the youngest of the three._

 _"Look! He's smiling!"_

 _Panda gasped. "You're right! It's so cute!" Grizz chuckled, looked at Ice Bear, bent down at him, and wiped his tears. "There, there. It's gonna be fine. As long as you're with us, you'll never be sad,"he said. Grizz kneeled with one knee and extended his paw to the polar bear._

 _"Come on,"he said. "Let's go home."_

 **/...\**

Ice Bear used to think that home meant being with your blood relatives, even if they're gone. But then, they came. And just by simply looking into their eyes, he knew that home meant more than that.

Home meant more than seeing the birds chirp whenever the sun would rise. Home meant more than frolicking around the green fields. Home meant more than enjoying a cup of hot chocolate under the stars. No. Home meant more than that. Home...meant something else.

It's when you watch the morning sunset with the people you cherish the most (blood related or not) as the birds sing their harmonious melodies. It's when you spend the afternoons with them, running around the fields while laughing and singing the songs of a bright, summer day. It's when you spend the cool, breezy nights under the stars, chattering silly stories until you fall asleep. That feeling was familiar, warm, and welcoming. And it was the only thing that can calm the waves of distress in his mind.

 **/...\**

 _He smiled and held Grizz's paw. "Yes!"_

 _Grizz helped Ice Bear stand up. The polar bear looked at Panda, and looked back at Grizz._

 _Grizz cleared his throat. "Alright. On this day, Ice Bear is officially our little brother from now on until death. Starting today, you are now part of this family." He then pat his head, and hugged him. "We promise that we're going to love you so much!" Grizz then released him, and held his paw._

 _Panda walked up to Ice Bear, rubbed his head, and held his other paw. "Come on, guys. Let's start finding food."_

 _All three brothers walked hand in hand, laughing while the sun started to set._

 _That was the real meaning of home._

 **/...\**

"Большой брат?"

That settled it. Ice Bear wanted to go back to his true home.

Ashley knelt beside her brother. "Is something wrong?"

Ice Bear bit his lip. A tear rolled down on his cheek. If he wanted to go back home, he had to show his real self to his own sister, even if it would hurt her. "Ice Bear...wants..."

"Ice Bear? Who's that?"

"...Ice Bear...wants to go back home..."

"Then let's find him, Anton!"

"...No. Anton...is...dead."

Ashley's eyes widened. "But...you're Anton..."

Ice Bear shook his head. "No. Ice Bear just...wants to go back home...to his big brothers...to Panda...to Grizz..."

Ashley gritted her teeth and grabbed her brother's shoulders. She looked him into the eye and scowled. "What's wrong with you?! There's no Grizz nor Panda and you are not Ice Bear! You're Anton for Siberia's sake! You're my Большой брат and we live in Siberia! Wake up, will you?! Whoever they are, they don't exist! Get out of that stupid dream and wake up!"

Ice Bear turned furious. Why wouldn't she understand? Why was she trying to revive Anton when reality made it clear that he's gone? Why couldn't she just accept that?

He saw red. His eyes turned red. He _wanted_ murder.

"No, Ashley. You should be the one waking up!"He pushed her sister down and grabbed the ax nearby. Ashley tried to wiggle backwards. "W-what are you doing?" Ice Bear went to her and kicked her in the guts. He gritted his teeth and raised the ax.

"Can't you understand...? Your precious Anton is dead. So if you want to go to him...you should die too!"Ice Bear lowered the ax and instantly hit Ashley. He then proceeded to hit her repeatedly and randomly. As Ashley screamed in pain, blood started staining the once, pure fur until all that was seen was dark red.

Ice Bear cackled. "This is what you want, right?! Be happy Ice Bear's giving it to you!"

 _Slash._

"Why are you crying, you little girl? Are you that of a brat to complain when you are given something you want?!"

 _Slash._

"Stop! Please stop, Большой брат!" Tears ran down, mixing with the dark substance. Ice Bear gritted his teeth. _After all that, she still didn't understand? What the hell is wrong with that girl?!_ "How many times does he have to tell you that Ice Bear's _not_ your big brother?!"

 _Slash!_

Ashley cried.

"Большой бра...почему? I-Isn't this the world you want-"

And those were her last words.

Ice Bear had chopped off her heart.

Ashley was dead.

 _Wait...Ashley...dead?_

His eyes widened. Dropping the ax, he looked at Ashley's bloody corpse. His breathing rate became rapid. His heart beat non-stop.

Ice Bear fell onto his knees. He felt the instant slap of reality across his face upon realizing what he had done.

It was exactly what they had done years ago in a zoo that was once full of happiness.

"Ashely..."he uttered. His paw reached up to her chopped heart. More tears came out as his paw ran up to her cheek. He then lifted his paw to examine the blood which was all over it. Afterwards, he placed the paw near his heart.

"Was this...the world Ice Bear really desires?"

He thought for sure that it really was. He felt so confused.

All of a sudden, his world blackened.

And it was at the third time when he finally realized that that was not the world he wanted. The question was...what does he really want?

* * *

 _Everyone has a right to pursue a happy life.  
The difficult part is to be given that right._

 _Everyone has a right to pursue a happy life.  
The difficult part is to fulfill that right._

 _I too have a right to pursue a happy life.  
The difficult part is to work out a compromise for that right._

-Frederica Bernkastel

* * *

 **Большой брат- Big brother** **  
** **да- Yes  
дерьмо**\- **Shit  
почему- Why**

 **Anyone who knows Russian, please tell me if it's the wrong word, etc. I'm not good with Russian so yeah.**

 **The quote shown was by Frederica Bernkastel shown in _Matsuribayashi-hen_ , which is part of the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Solution arc (Don't read the VN if you haven't read Onikakushi-hen up until Minagoroshi-hen. Matsuribayashi-hen is basically full of spoilers). The VN, manga and anime are equally good. My favorite arc is Saikoroshi-hen, by the way.  
**

 **I'm sorry if I made Ice Bear deranged, though. It was too OOC, I know. But like what I said at the beginning, the story is AU-ish, okay?**

 **Anywho, please tell me what you think!**

 **-Ultimate-Bear-sama**

 **P.S. Will Nom Nom and Charlie appear? Yes, they will. In time, child. In time.**


	4. IV- Four Promises

**I'm so sorry for being late. *sighs* Being in an "excellent" exclusive school meant suffering more than an ordinary student would during the last quarter. Luckily, I don't have really any homeworks today...so yey!**

 **This is probably the hardest chapter (next to Chapter 5, which I'm still working on. It's been two weeks and I'm not even halfway...) I've ever done so far. So forgive me if it's crappy.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own We Bare Bears.**

 **-Ultimate-Bear-sama**

* * *

Thirty minutes later, a nurse came to them.

"Grizzly and Panda Bear, right?"she asked. Said bears nodded. Grizz stood up and asked, "H-how's our baby brother?"

The nurse replied, "It took nine nurses and two doctors to calm a stressed, angry, and wild polar bear. He's fine now. Your brother is asleep." Seeing the worried faces of the bears growing, she added, "No. He won't be going into a coma anytime soon unless complications may happen. Expect that he'll wake up in a few hours, though."

The two bears sighed in relief. "Th-thank you, Miss. M-may we go see him?"Panda asked. The nurse nodded before leaving. Immediately, both brothers ran to the same, old plain room and saw Ice Bear asleep. One thing was different from those last weeks though: he was going to wake up, alive and well.

Grizz went to the chair next to the bed, sat on it, held his youngest brother's paw, and smiled. Somehow, he could feel its warmth coming back. Indeed, what the nurse said was true. Ice Bear was going to be alive. Tears of joy ran down his muzzle at that sudden realization. He then felt Panda's paw on his back and the joy that radiated from it.

"I guess there are such things as miracles, huh?"Panda asked. Grizz nodded and replied, "Not just that, bro. I think the reason this little dude survived was because his will was...well...really strong." _I really miss calling him "Little Dude"_ , was what he thought immediately after saying those words.

"He cares about us, huh?"

Grizz nodded. "Yeah. Even if we acted like some sort of jerks to him, he still didn't give up on us."

"That's because we're the only family he has left. He's...lost a lot in his life..."

Grizz raised his eyebrow. "Aren't _we_ his only family?"Panda looked down and said, "Well...when he woke up, he said a name. Ashley, is it? Something like that. He said something about losing her...abandoning his 'precious baby sister'...and then some Russian words."

"You don't say?"Grizz asked.

"It's true, Grizz. I'm not sure about who this Ashley is. But I really want to find out."

Grizz looked at the middle brother. "And how will this help us help Ice Bear?"

Panda shrugged. "I just thought that if I get to know more of his past, then maybe I can think of more ways on how to help him."

There was a pause. Panda looked at the ceiling and closed his eyes. "Out of the three of us, he's the luckiest,"he said. Grizz's focus turned back on Ice Bear's peaceful face. "What makes you say that bro?"

"Well,"Panda began. "He's the only one who remembers his origins. He remembers where he came from and what type of life he used to have. It's not like our situations, Grizz."

"But you know at least a bit of where you came from. I don't even remember what life I used to have. The pictures are all blurry."

"That maybe true. But a lot of questions still remain unanswered, Grizz. Like, why did my mother abandon me? Why did my father hate me? What have I even done to deserve that? I was just a cub, Grizz. True, I knew that I was born in China. But I didn't even get to understand why all those happened to me."

Grizz used his free paw to rub his own back. "Well I can say that I'm the luckiest here. At least I won't have to face the sad stuff, right?"

"...And how does that make you feel, Grizz?"

Grizz looked at Panda again. "What do you mean, bro?"

The younger of the two opened his eyes. "Not remembering anything, not finding out how you were really made...how does it feel...having a hole in your heart?"

"A-A hole?"

"Well of course, Grizz. In your heart, the center of it will always be your past. It's what makes your heart beat. It what makes life worth living for. It...it gives your heart some hope, even in the darkest times."

"B-but...I had my childhood with you guys. Isn't that enough?"

"Well, yeah. But what about way before that? You didn't just fall out of the sky, right? And don't you want to meet your parents...or those whom you consider as a blood-related family? Yes, Grizz. We are family. But remember that once upon a time, you had another family."

Grizz couldn't respond. All his life, he looked at nothing but the future. He dreamed of a bright day with his brothers. He wished for them to be together, even in the afterlife (if there is such) and for no harm to come in their way. His desires were for hi family. And he hoped for them to come true.

But when Panda mentioned of the past, it really made him think. Grizz was very curious. He really wanted to know who his parents were and how they used to live. He wanted to figure out what were his best moments and the memories they shared as a blood-related family.

He clenched is paw. Then again, what would he gain from knowing that?

"Ice once told me of a story about a boy. He was like you, actually. He had everything: high grades, good friends, a girl he admired, and a perfect family. He was a blessed child, they say. He had everything the other couldn't have. And he was thankful for that.

"But then, he got into an accident. While his father was driving, a truck coming from the opposite lane turned to their lane and crashed their car. In that accident, only the boy survived. He got into a coma for three weeks. The boy then woke up with amnesia. Afraid that the boy might get pressured from remembering everything, his mom made them move to another country. It was a new start for them. And the boy continued to live a normal life. As he grew up though, he felt that something was missing. Like...something has been erased. So while he lived, he kept searching for the answers. However, his mother wouldn't tell him.

"Then one day, he finally broke. By the evening of his mother's funeral, he found her last will. And upon reading it, images...the memories came out too fast. Once he was done reading the letter, he cried. Why did she hide it from him? Sixteen years, and his mother hid something he was supposed to know.

"He then though of going back to his old place. So, he set out. But upon arriving, he realized that many things had changed. His friends didn't remember him and even bullied him. And the girl of his dreams got married to someone else. In the end, he became nothing but a depressed man until the day he died."

After Panda finished the story, he out his paw on the spot where he can feel Grizz's warm heartbeat. "Your past,"he uttered. Grizz looked at where Panda's paw was and closed his eyes. In a way, he can relate with the man in the story. He had a good life with his brothers, yes. But he felt that something was missing. It was as if there was a hole in his heart. And although he tried to ignore that pain, Grizz couldn't help but feel miserable. He had everything he ever wanted. Yet, so many questions remain. Where did he come from? Who was he back then? What was life like before he found himself on the streets of San Francisco?

"Your past, "Panda continued, closing his eyes once again. "Your past is the only thing that can save you in times of suffering, in the middle of wars, and in a world full of darkness. It completes you, Grizz. It holds the reason why you want to live. And it saves you from having the hole in your heart expand until there's nothing he left. It makes you realize what's right and wrong. And it pushes you to where you'll be heading in the future. If you don't find out your past right now, then you'll end up like the man...going crazy...wanting to go back time just to find out...living a life that's full of depression and insanity."He then removed hid paw from Grizz's chest and opened his eyes. "Is that the life you want?"

It was only at that moment when he chose not to ignore that empty, yet scorching pain. It was only at that time when the determination of finding out what he was before came in.

Grizz shook his head. "I understand, Panpan. I'll find out who I am. And I'll take every single risk until I see the truth."

Panda smiled. "Then that makes the two of us."

Grizz chuckled and held out his free paw to his little brother. "Is that a promise?"Panda nodded and held his brother's paw. "It's a promise worth keeping."Then in an instant, Grizz lunged forward and hugged Panda, not caring if they fell onto the floor. The younger of the two was surprised at what his big brother did.

"I'm sorry,"Grizz uttered, tears coming out. Upon hearing those words, Panda smiled and hugged his back. "We both are."

Grizz nodded and stood up. He then helped Panda up and sat down on his own chair. Looking at his youngest brother, he whispered, "I can't wait to see you again."

Panda found another chair, brought it next to Ice Bear's bedside, and reached to pat Ice Bear's head while smiling.

"Just hold on, baby bro. Once you wake up, everything will be fine. I promise."

And on that night, two promises were made. Whether they'll come true or not was unknown to them. But they'll do whatever it would take just to keep them...

...because for them, promises were made, not for them to be broken, but to be cherished.

 **/...\**

It was around one in the morning when Ice Bear opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the plain, old ceiling and the light bulb attached to it. He slowly blinked his eyes before attempting to rub them gently. But before he could even do so, he felt arms pinning his own. It took a while until he finally realized why he couldn't lift it.

His brothers were sleeping on it, even if it was attached to the IV.

Ice Bear smiled a little. _They really stayed beside Ice Bear, huh?_ He yawned for a bit, before looking at his brothers' peaceful faces.

"Grizz...Panda...Ice Bear loves you both...so much..."

A knock was heard minutes later. The nurse from a few hours ago came in. She smiled upon seeing her patient awake.

"I see you're awake,"the nurse spoke softly as she entered the room. Ice Bear nodded. Oh, he had so many questions. Why was he in the hospital? Why was his head painful? What actually happened?

But he didn't want to act as if he were panicking. He had to calm himself.

"Ice Bear doesn't remember anything,"he said.

"Oh. You got run over by a truck and went into a coma for two weeks."

His eyes widened. "T-two weeks?"

Ice Bear finally remembered. Waling down the lane to see some fish for sale, a truck came in. He could remember feeling paralyzed upon realizing it. And then, there was that dream.

He felt his heart being twisted.

"Yeah,"the nurse said before looking at Ice Bear's sleeping brothers. "Your brothers were very worried about you. They tried to stay up just to see you open your eyes. But I guess their brains gave up and slept."

Ice Bear chuckled. No matter what, he had to maintain his composition. The nurse smiled upon seeing the bear smiling (in a way). "How are you feeling?"

The bear looked at the nurse and nodded. Assuming that he was fine, she chuckled. "Well that's nice to hear. A doctor will come to check you at ten in the morning."She then pat his head, before adding, "You should rest."

"Ice Bear is not sleepy."

The nurse sighed. "Well, alright. But if you feel any pain of some sorts, you know who to call. I'm Alice, by the way. See you later, Ice."And with that, she left.

Once again, Ice Bear was left alone with two sleeping bears. He looked at the wall clock that loosely hung above the door.

It was 1:15 AM.

 _What can Ice Bear do at this hour?_

Suddenly, Panda's phone vibrated.

 _Somebody_ had to answer it. But what can Ice Bear do?

He frowned. He had no choice but to remove the arm where his two brothers were sleeping on. Using his left foot, he moved it to Panda's back (and a bit of Grizz's as well) and gently pushed them down. He then got two of his pillows from the back of his head (he had four before he thought of doing it) with his teeth. After that, he slowly lifted his brothers' chins, used his elbow and paw to support their chins, reached as far as he could, and placed the pillows on their chins (it took one minute to do that single step). Once that were done, he slowly removed his own arm from their chins, and moved his left leg back to the bed. Finally, he extended his left arm and grabbed Panda's phone.

It was from Chloe.

Ice Bear sighed. As much as he wanted to make his awakening moment a surprise for them, he couldn't just reject the call. He had no choice, right?

He slid the white dot to the green one and placed the front view of the phone in front of his ears.

"H-Hello?"

 _"Panda? Has your voice gone raspy?"_

And yes, it was Chloe. But there was something off. Why was she speaking so softly? Was it because she didn't want to wake his parents?

"No. It's Ice Bear."

The second he said his name, Chloe cheered.

 _"I-Ice! I can't believe it's you! Do Grizz and Panda know you're awake?"_

"Not yet. Ice Bear does not want to disturb them."

 _"They're sleeping, huh? Well they'll definitely be surprised once they wake up."_

"Mmm,"was Ice Bear's reply. There was a pregnant pause. Ice Bear, as much as he loved silence, hated the silence that embraced their conversation. Both sides weren't speaking at all, for they didn't know what to saw. He cleared his throat while making sure that what he did wouldn't disturb his brothers. "H-how are you doing?"

He could hear Chloe sigh. Was there something wrong? He needed to know. _"_ _It's a really long story, you know. I don't even know how to interact with kids my age anymore. I just feel awkward around them now."_

"I-Is that so? W-what happened?"

And there started their long, long conversation (well, it was Chloe who did most of the talking. But then Ice Bear thought that responding with one sentence was close enough to calling it "polite". So he did...even if he kept repeating what he said.) While Chloe told of her experiences, Ice Bear commented on Chloe's friends' personalities. Chloe said that she didn't mind. The important thing for her was that Ice Bear was fine, physically and emotionally.

It was only an hour later when she uttered, _"Scratch that emotional part."_

 _"A-A dream?"_

Ice Bear nodded. "Ice Bear felt hurt." Who wouldn't though? Just remembering that dream made him feel like a monster.

"What kind of dream was it?"

And there began Ice Bear's _long_ tale. The polar bear made sure not to leave any single detail behind. But when the murder scene, he vaguely explained it. Just remembering how his sister cried for help, asked him to stop, and plead for mercy made his heart break into billions of pieces. That and because he didn't want Chloe to end up having nightmares.

"After that...Ice Bear woke up and lost control of self. Slept again, then woke up to see brothers sleeping on arm."

It took about a minute just for Chloe to say something.

 _"Wow. That was...wow."_

Ice Bear nodded. "Ice Bear rather not tell this to Grizz nor Panda."

 _"E-Eh, why?!"_

The polar bear looked out at the window and sighed. "Ice Be...no...Anton had lost everything he cherished. He lost his sister and home. He doesn't want the same thing to happen to Ice Bear."

 _"Hmm..wait. So you're telling me that if you tell your brothers, then it's either they'll be afraid and leave you alone. Either that and/or you're afraid that you might do the same thing you did to Ashley to them, right?"_

"Yes."

He could hear Chloe sigh. _"Ice, I don't think your brothers will hate you for that. They're your big brothers! They know you more than anyone else in this world...even more than I do. I don't they'll leave because of that. And besides, it's just a dream. Remember that."_

"It's not because of that. What Ice Bear did...reminded him of what happened years ago."

 _"Years ago? Way before you met Grizz and Panda?"_

"Yes. Years ago-"

 _"Wait."_

Ice Bear raised his eyebrow.

 _"...Footsteps. The head mistress is coming this way. If she finds out that I'm awake..."_

Ice Bear nodded. "Understood. Until then, Ice Bear will find a way to get you. It's a promise."

 _"Thank you so much, Ice. Well, see you."_

And that's where their conversation ended.

As the sky appeared to have little signs of light coming from the horizons, fate had confirmed the third promise. Ice Bear would make sure that that promise won't be shattered.

It's what Grizz has once said: "Promises are made to be fulfilled."

 **/...\**

Panda woke up to the sound of Grizz screaming. He rubbed his eyes before opening them. "G-Grizz?"

He suddenly felt Grizz shaking his shoulders. "Dude, it's horrible! I-I can't find Ice Bear!"

Upon hearing it, Panda's brain immediately woke up. "I-Ice Bear's missing?!" Grizz nodded. "I don't even know how he disappeared! M-Maybe he was kidnapped while we were asleep! I'm so stupid! Why did I just let myself fall asleep like that?!"Panda groaned and clenched the bed sheets. "I promised my own little brother that everything would be fine."The Asian bear then fell onto his knees. "Why, cruel world, why?!"

And as they continued their rambling, the click of the door was heard.

Grizz and Panda turned to the door and gasped.

It was their little brother...who wore a hospital gown and held the pole where the IV was attached to. His right side was supported by Alive.

The two bears couldn't believe it.

"I-Ice Bear..? You're...awake?!"Grizz exclaimed. Said bear nodded as he made his way to them (with Alice's help, of course). He then bowed a bit, looked at them, and said, "Ice Bear apologizes for not waking you two up...and for worrying you."

Alice chuckled. "Ice Bear requested me to walk with him to the cafeteria instead of having letting me feed him. I didn't know he was going to cook our breakfast, though. It still tastes good."

The two older brothers sighed in relief. "Well that's good,"Grizz uttered. Panda smiled and looked at Ice Bear. He took a few, small steps and spread out his arms. When no response came, Panda hugged him. Oh how he missed that warmth. Somehow, it made his heart feel...safer. It made his heart feel complete. And after two weeks of despair, he finally felt at home.

It was perfection.

He felt two, big, strong arms envelop the other two bears. Alice stepped away from the scenario and smiled. Panda's own grin grew when he realized that it was Grizz.

 _Yes..._ , he thought. _This is home...where I belong._

Even so, that didn't mean that all the family and personal problems were cleared. There was their debt, then Ice Bear's health, how they'll get Chloe out of that damned orphanage, Grizz's past crisis, how he'll find out the secrets of his own past, and how to help Ice Bear deal what has been done.

It may be a tough challenge, yes. But Panda would make sure that all the answers will arrive at them before the problems worsen.

With that, fate hit the gravel with his hammer, signifying that another promise has been made.

Four promises. Whether they'll break or not in the future was unknown to them at that moment. But with that kind of determination the three brothers held, will they really break?

Only time can tell.

* * *

 **AND I'M DONE HOLY SHIT 8D  
**

 **Any feedback? Please say so~.**

 **-Ultimate-Bear-sama**


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